Latch actuating device



Jan. 3, 1939. v 1 A ANDERSON 2,142,087

LATCH ACTUATING DEVICE Filed Jan. w, 1938 l l gzaamv Egg..- f`

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l A ocl L. Anderson xbfm Yme. :1

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHQE LATCH ACTUATING DEVICE Application January 19, 1938, Serial No. 185,712

7 Claims.

This invention relates to latches particularly of the type which are `ttsed on refrigerators, though -not limited thereto, and is concerned with a novel operating means for retracting the latch bolt and with a very simple and practical construction for adjusting said operating means in order to secure the best operation of the latch bolt.

I have heretofore filed an application for latch having Serial No. 169,632, led the 18th day of October, 1937, this being one type of latch with which the adjustable operating means of the presentV invention may be associated, but such invention is applicable to many and different speciiic latch constructions, and in the following description and in connection with the disclosure shown in the drawing, the particular type of latch referred to is to be considered only as showing the environment in which my present invention is used, and not in any way limiting the use of the invention to any specic latch construction.

The invention may be understood from the iollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation with parts broken away and shown in section of the invention applied to a latch on a refrigerator.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectionthrough the refrigerator in a plane a short distance above the latch therein.

Fig, 3 is a-n enlargedfragmentary elevation of the-lower part of the operating rod and the adjustable latch bolt actuating member thereon.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the rod on which the actuating member is mounted.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the latch bolt actuating member adjustably mounted on said rod, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are horizontal sections taken substantially on the planes of lines 5 6 and 1 7 of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the dilerent figures of the drawing.

In the construction illustrated the latch is mounted on the door l of a refrigerator which closes an entrance opening in a refrigerator oasing2, the casing carrying a keeper 3 for the latch bolt.4 of the latch, indicated at 5. As disclosed, this latch is of the structure shown in my previously mentioned application for patent in which the movement of a pin 6 extending through a slot in one side of the housing of the latch serves to retract the latch bolt. With my invention a vertical rod 'I which is adapted to be rocked about its axis is mounted so as to extend above the latch. A short distance above its lower end the rod is flattened preferably at both sides to make the section 8 with a short cylindrical end portion 9 at the lower end which may enter an opening in the upper side of the latch housing or casing.

At the flattened portion of the rod an actuat- 5 ing member to engage against and move the pin 6 laterally is adjustably mounted. This actuating member includes a U-shaped body which is vertically positioned against the flattened pornon 8 of the rod 1, the legs la of the u being at 10 opposite edges of the flattened section 8. The connecting portion II of the U-shaped section is pressed inwardly lengthwise of the member so that at the inner central portion of the U section it bears against a flat side of the section 8 of the 15 rod (see Fig. 2) and may have a limited rocking movement for adjusting to different positions with respect to the rod. In the connecting portion II of the U-shaped member openings are made, each consisting of a recess I2 of semi-circular form and of relatively small diameter and a larger recess I3 of substantially semi-circular form and of larger diameter joining together as shown, the two openings being spaced apart from each other one over the other, and located oppo- 25 sitely with respect to the vertical center line of the U-shaped section, as shown in Fig. 5. At the lower end of each of the legs I d are ears I4 rounded at their lower edges to ride against the upper 30 order that the part I 6 shall be properly located 40 against the pin 6, the U-shaped member, with which this immediate actuating part is integrally formed, is connected at the iiattened section 8 of the rocking rod by screws I'I which thread through openings in said attened section. The Shanks of the screws pass partly through the semi-circular recesses at I2 and the heads at one side are over the larger recessed portions I3. By loosening one screw and tightening the other, a limited angular adjustment of the actuating member may be made on the rod 'I and such actuating member held securely in any position to which adjusted.

The rocking of the rod manually may be accomplished in many diiferent ways.. A handle I8 to be suitably connected with the rod to rock the same on outward pull of the handle is shown in Fig. 1, but the specific manner in which the rod is rocked is not any essential part of this invention.

With the structure described a very simple and yet exceedingly practical and efcient actuating structure for retracting the latch bolt of a latch is provided and one in which the adjustment necessitated by reason of inability to hold the parts assembled to close tolerances is very simply and easily accomplished. The inclined cam portion I6 may be very accurately adjusted to the pin 6, set and held in such adjusted position.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A latch actuating device comprising, a rod having a flattened section, an actuating member connected to the rod including 'a U-shaped body embracing the rod at the flattened section with the legs of said U positioned at opposite edges of the flattened section and with the connecting portion of said U pressed inwardly at its central portion to bear against a flattened side of the rod thereby permitting a rocking movement of the U-shaped body on the rod, means for adjusting and for holding in any adjusted position said U- shaped body comprising, means connecting the same to the rod at the flattened section thereof, said means being adapted to be released to thereby permit an adjustment of the U-shaped body to different positions and then tightened to secure said body to said rod, said U-shaped body having an actuating part connected therewith adapted to actuate the latch, and said rod being adapted to be turned about its longitudinal axis, as specified.

2. A latch actuating device comprising, a rod having adjacent one end portion thereof a section with a flattened side, an actuating member partially-surrounding and mounted on said rod and having a convex part to engage against said flattened section and formed whereby it may be rocked thereon about the vertical axis of the rod, means for connecting said actuating member to the rod at said flattened section, said means also being operable to adjust the actuating member to different positions angularly about the axis of the rod, and said actuating member having an actuating element connected with and extending therefrom adapted to engage with a latch to operate the same upon turning said rod about its longitudinal axis.

3. A latch actuating device comprising, a rod having a flat side, a U-shaped body of sheet metal embracing the rod and comprising an inwardly dished connecting portion and legs, said connecting portion of the U-shaped body extending lengthwise of the rod and bearing against a flattened side thereof, said connecting portion having openings therethrough for the passage of screws, screws passing through said openings and threading into the rod, said openings at the opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the U-shaped member being enlarged whereby the adjacent side of the head of the screw may enter therein, and an immediate actuating part connected to the U-shaped body and extending therefrom adapted to engage with and operate a latch on turning said rod about its longitudinal axis, Y

4. In a construction of the class described, a latch having a latch bolt, a door on which the latch is mounted, a rod vertically positioned on the door and extending above the latch, an actuating member at the lower end of the rod including, a part adapted to engage with the latch for retracting the latch bolt on turning the rod about its longitudinal axis and also having a body adjustably connected to the rod to be positioned at different angular positions thereon, said rod at its lower portion having a flattened side and said body having a side convex at its inner side where it bears against the flattened side of the rod, and means connecting said body with the rod and adapted to be operated to adjust the actuating member to different angular positions on the rod, for the purposes specified.

5. A latch actuating member comprising, a rod adapted to be rocked about its longitudinal axis, said rod adjacent one end having a flattened portion, an actuating member comprising a U- shaped body having an arm extending from one of the legs of the U adjacent one end of the body, said arm at its terminal portion being bent at an angle to the remainder of the arm, said U-shaped body embracing the flattened portion of the rod with the legs of the U at opposite edges of said flattened portion, and the connecting portion of the U bearing against a flattened side of the rod, said flattened portion being longitudinally inwardly pressed midway between the legs to provide a rocking bearing against said ilattened side of the rod, and means passing through the connecting portion of the U-shaped body and threading through the rod for securing the actuating member to the rod, for adjusting it to different angular positions with respect to the rod and for holding it in any position to which adjusted.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inv claim 5, said connecting portion of the U-shaped body through which said screws pass having openings, one for each screw, each comprising a semi-circular recess the diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the screw, and a second and larger semi-circular recess connected therewith, the diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the head of the screw, the openings being spaced from each other and alternately oppositely positioned with respect to the longitudinal center line of the U-shaped body.

'7. A latch actuating device comprising a rod, an actuating member connected to the rod including a U-shaped body embracing the rod near its lower end with Ythe connecting portion of said U pressed inwardly to bear against the rod, means for adjusting and holding in any adjusted position said body comprising, means connecting the same to the rod adapted to be released to thereby permit an adjustment of the body to different positions and then tightened to secure said body to said rod, said body having an actuating part connected therewith adapted to actuate the latch, and said rod being adapted to be turned about its longitudinal axis, as specified.

LLOYD L. ANDERSON. 

